Gemara Clarity

Chagigah 4b

חגיגה ד׳ ע״ב

Learn Chagigah 4b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chagigah 4b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who is exempt from ראייה, and the חכמים who cried at פסוקים about closeness to ה׳ and Divine judgment

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a point about the מפונק, a pampered person who cannot walk barefoot and so is exempt from ראייה, proven from ישעיהו. A ברייתא then says the ערל and the טמא are exempt too. The גמרא finds the טמא's source in the link between 'coming' and 'bringing.' It explains the ערל by saying the ברייתא follows רבי עקיבא, who treats a ערל like a טמא. Another ברייתא repeats the טמא's exemption and adds that a person blind in one eye is exempt, learned from reading the פסוק as both 'will see' and 'will be seen.' From there the גמרא turns to מוסר: רב הונא, רבי אלעזר, רבי אמי, רבי אסי and רב יוסף each cried at certain פסוקים, out of fear of being pushed away, fear of Divine judgment, and the uncertainty of 'perhaps.' רב יוסף's question, whether someone can die before his time, is answered with the story of the מלאך המוות's messenger who took the wrong מרים. That story continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מְפַנְּקִי, דִּכְתִיב:

Delicate people, as it is written:

״כִּי תָבֹאוּ לֵרָאוֹת פָּנָי

"When you come to appear before Me,

מִי בִקֵּשׁ זֹאת מִיֶּדְכֶם

who asked this of your hand,

רְמוֹס חֲצֵרָי״.

to trample My courts?"

The steps (22)

  1. ResponseThe delicate person is exempt, proven from ישעיהו
  2. StatementA ברייתא: the uncircumcised and the impure are exempt
  3. ProofThe impure person's exemption comes from 'coming' and 'bringing'
  4. QuestionWhere do we learn the uncircumcised man's exemption?
  5. ResponseThe ברייתא follows רבי עקיבא, who treats a ערל like a טמא
  6. Proofרבי עקיבא learns the ערל from the double word 'איש איש'
  7. StatementA new ברייתא repeats the impure person's exemption
  8. StatementA person blind in one eye is exempt from ראייה
  9. Statementרב הונא cries over 'seeing and being seen'
  10. Statementרב הונא cries over eating at the Master's table
  11. Statementרבי אלעזר cries over the brothers' silence before יוסף
  12. Statementרבי אלעזר cries over שמואל's fear of judgment
  13. QuestionWhat did שמואל fear?
  14. Responseשמואל brought משה along as a witness
  15. Statementרבי אמי cries over 'perhaps there may be hope'
  16. Statementרבי אמי cries over 'perhaps you will be hidden'
  17. Statementרבי אסי cries over 'perhaps ה׳ will be gracious'
  18. Questionרב יוסף asks: can someone die before his time?
  19. ResponseYes: the messenger brought the wrong מרים
  20. StatementThe mistake is noticed, but she is counted anyway
  21. QuestionHow could her life be taken?
  22. ResponseShe was holding a shovel and lighting a fire